London dad walks 200 km with daughter's wheelchair to demand overseas health care

Joe Gesualdi began a six-week trek from London, Ontario to Toronto, pushing his daughter Sydney’s empty wheelchair to highlight her struggle for out-of-country medical treatment.

Sydney Gesualdi, 27, was rear-ended in July 2023 and subsequently lost the ability to walk, speak clearly and breathe properly, receiving a diagnosis of cranio-cervical instability. A neurosurgeon in New York has recommended a costly operation, but the Ontario Ministry of Health denied her request for Out-of-Country Health Services coverage, leaving the family to raise the money themselves. To raise awareness and funds, her father, Joe Gesualdi, set out from his home in south London, Ontario, pushing Sydney’s empty wheelchair toward Queen’s Park in Toronto, a distance of about 200 kilometres over six weeks.

Along the route he hands out flyers describing Sydney’s condition and the difficulties of accessing treatment outside Canada, urging donations and urging Premier Doug Ford and health officials to act. Sydney expressed mixed emotions, grateful for her father’s effort but saddened that such a protest is needed for care. The walk underscores broader concerns about wait times and limited access to specialized spinal assessments within the province.